The Promise
by FanWriter02
Summary: "I-I think I've been holding myself from falling in love with you all over again." Astrid has been avoiding Hiccup, and the reason has so much to do with an emotion she's never come in contact before until now: fear. One-Shot. Post RTTE season 4. Requested by haley-black21 on tumblr.


**The Promise**

"Astrid!" Hiccup called out, reaching to grab her arm. She pulled away, lifting her axe and waving it slightly with an irritated expression.

"Let go of me." She demanded, giving her arm a little tug, but Hiccup refused to loosen his hold.

"No, please, Astrid, just listen to me…"

"No! _You_ listen, I want to be alone. Go. A _way!_ Let go of me!" She pulled harder, surprised by how strong his grip was. She struggled a bit harder, contemplating using her axe handle to knock his hand away.

"Astrid, why have you been avoiding me?" Hiccup's voice was hitting that high pitched desperate tone, and she couldn't help but feel her heart soften. She never could keep anything from him… she never could.

"No! Just go away!" She shouted, writhing in his grip. "I want to be alone!"

Hiccup let go and she stumbled back, unprepared for the sudden release. She caught her balance and glared at him, clutching her battle axe tightly in both hands.

"Please, Astrid." Hiccup pleaded, gesturing softly with his arms. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She hissed angrily. "Go. Away."

"Ast-"

"Don't!" She shouted whipping about and stomping off into the underbrush, shoving aside shrubbery and tree branches as she went. But by the _crunch crunch_ and the clicking coming from behind her, she knew Hiccup was following her.

"Why can't you just take a hint!" She screamed at him, spinning about and jabbing the end of her axe against his armored chest. "WHY DON'T YOU GET IT!? I WANT TO BE ALONE!"

"I need to know." Hiccup persisted, grabbing the axe head and pushing it aside. "What's wrong, Astrid?"

"Nothing is wrong." She fumed, reaching to grab her axe again. "So go back."

"No." Hiccup stated firmly, locking eyes with her. She stared back, his emerald green eyes dark and brightened with confusion and worry. "Please, Astrid… tell me what's wrong? Why won't you speak to me anymore?"

She glared- or tried to anyways, the more she looked at him the harder it got- before ducking her head and scowled at the ground, giving a little pull on her axe. Hiccup tightened his grip, not budging an inch.

"…What's wrong, Astrid?"

Maybe it was the begging tone of his voice, or the way he shook when he said it or how his grip faltered on the axe- whatever it was it made her break. She fell apart, collapsing down onto the ground and burying her head in her hands.

"I can't…" She cried, choking on the sobs that welled in her throat. "I… can't…"

She felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder, and she automatically melted into his touch. Next moment he was sitting down beside her, discarding the axe behind them as he wrapped her in his strong arms.

"Go away." She mumbled, although this time her heart wasn't at all into it.

"No…" was the reply, just as she knew it would be. "Not until you tell me what's been bothering you."

She let out another sob before grabbing hold of him tightly, her arms going to wrap tightly about him while her face pressed against his shoulder. She clung tighter, feeling his warmth and comfort, knowing that he was still there, that the cliff… that Toothless had…

 _What would she do if he'd died? How would she live? This love… it was so hard, painful… but oh, she loved him so much… she just couldn't let go of that love for him._

Hiccup ran a hand up into her hair, and she relaxed even more. His touch was gentle and caring, making it even harder to keep her emotions at bay.

"Can you tell me now?"

She gasped and tried to shake her head, but it was like she had no control over her body. She didn't move, except for the shaking of her shoulders as she continued to cry.

"Please, Astrid? I-I hate seeing you like this… I want you to be happy again. To talk to me again…"

She choked again on yet another sob, trying to force the sound away but nothing she did prevented it from coming. After a pause, she gave in and let her mouth move and she began to explain.

"The accident…" she started, finding it not as difficult as she'd originally anticipated. "When you fell… Hiccup I-" she fisted her hands in his shirt, trying desperately to keep from bursting into tears again.

"Shh…" Hiccup reassured, "What-what happened? What changed?"

"My heart, Hiccup…" She whispered. "I just… what if you had died? What if I lost you forever?"

"Astrid…"

"No." She stopped him, already knowing what he would say. _I wouldn't have_ or _But I didn't…_ "It's just…" She paused to catch her breath, "I don't know…" she pulled away so she could stare into his eyes, noting the concern that lingered there. Along with love, it was practically shining from the depths of his green iris's. "I-I think I've been holding myself from falling in love with you all over again."

Hiccup drew her close to him again, rocking gently back and forth while massaging her shoulder. She felt the tears come again, and this time didn't fight them. It seemed a pointless cause at this point.

"I'm afraid." She finally admitted, for the first time in her entire life. Never had she said she feared anything, but now she truly knew she did. She feared losing Hiccup.

"Astrid." Hiccup said gently, his hand coming up to push her bangs off her wet face.

"I promise." Hiccup went on, never ceasing his gentle rocking or the soft caresses against her back. "I promise I won't leave you."

"Promises don't mean anything." She mumbled desolately. They didn't. So many promises given to her in the past had been broken- what was a promise even supposed to mean?

"Mine does. I promise, I'll always be with you. Even… even if I do die…" she flinched at the word. "I'm not leaving you, Astrid. I'll always be with you." He placed a hand against her chest, right over her heart.

"There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid."

She began sobbing again, pressing her face against his neck. He held her, not saying anything as she poured out her troubles and woes, sobbing up a storm and leaving his shirt and armor wet with salt water.

"I can't live without you." She whispered.

"I'll always be here."

She nodded, then paused before asking softly, her voice cracking and hoarse from her sobs. "You-You promise?"

"Yes, milady." He pressed a kiss against her hair, and she knew then, that _yes_. No matter what happened, even death, they'd always be together. In spirit. Two souls bond together by love… forever.

 **I'm doing this prompt thing on tumblr, so the prompt for this one was _"I think I've been holding myself from falling in love with you all over again."_**

 **Sorry for all these one-shots of late! It's just that if any of these drabbles go over 1,000 words, I post them seperately instead of with "I Think About You" :D Again, sorry if these bore you!**

 **Tootles!**

 **-Kat (FanWriter02)**


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